The Jordan Year of Science 2017 Kicks Off with Major Ibn Al-Haytham World-Class Exhibition
Amman, 8 March 2017: Her Highness Princess Sumaya bint Al-Hassan, President of the Royal Scientific Society Vice-Chair of The Jordan Museum, launched today at The Jordan Museum ‘Ibn Al-Haytham: Exhibition on the Man Who Discovered How We see’ to kick off a year-long series of activities celebrating The Jordan Year of Science 2017.
The Exhibition is hosted at The Jordan Museum under the Patronage of His Excellency The Minster of Education Dr Omar Al-Razzaz and will be open to the public for four weeks until 8 April 2017.
The wolrd-class Ibn Al-Haytham Exhibition is produced by the British based organisation 1001 Inventions. It introduces 11th century pioneering Arab Scientist Ibn Al-Haytham and his major contributions to the science of light and vision. Through education and fun components, the exhibition offers an insight into the history of light, vision and optics-based science.
The Exhibition is hosted in Jordan as part of a year-long celebration of science organised by the Royal Scientific Society that aims to place science, technology and innovation at the heart of the debate on the future growth of the Kingdom and will reaffirm the pivotal role of Jordan in the Middle East’s durable development.
HRH Princess Sumaya bint Al-Hassan eagerly stated during her speech at the opening, “this exhibition marks an early step in the celebration of Jordan’s Year of Science 2017. We seek to engage our people and to ignite our national imagination. Science belongs to all of us and through science we may learn to change our world for the better and to build a future of opportunity and hope. It is, therefore, most appropriate to talk about our future in this wonderful institution that is dedicated to our past. For the Jordan Museum celebrates the innovative capacity of hundreds of generations of our ancestors. We must be inspired to emulate them by opening our minds and engaging our creative imaginations”.
Considered by many as the ‘Father of Optics’, Ibn al-Haytham made important contributions to the understanding of vision, optics and light. His methodology of investigation, in particular using experiments to verify theory, shows certain similarities to what later became known as the modern scientific method. Ibn Al-Haytham revolutionised science and his life serves as an inspiration to young people all over the world.
Ahmed Salim, Producer and Director of 1001 Inventions said:
“We are delighted that the partnership with the Royal Scintific Society and The Jordan Museum has provided the opportunity to introduce to people in Jordan a highly engaging experience about a scientist from the history of this region. Ibn al-Haytham’s inspirational life and his contributions to our world are important to recognise. He lived during a golden age of discovery and creativity in Muslim Civiliastion where men and women of different faiths and cultures achieved breakthroughs that influence our world today. Through the Ibn Al-Haytham Exhibition we aim to inspire children and young people and equip them with a mindset that enables them to build a better future”
As a fun intereactive educational experience, the Exhibition offers audiences of all ages a highly interactive educational and engaging experience that includes an exciting short film starring legendary actor Omar Sharif featuring a music hit by international artist Sami Yusuf, interactive exhibitis, hands-on science activities, workshops and digital games. The film’s trailer can be watched on www.IbnAlhaytham.com
An additional unique feature of the exhibition will also be displayed at the Jordan Museum. The Ibn Al-Haytham Art Gallery by Jordanian artist Ali Amro will accompany the Exhibition and will showcase beautiful artwork of Ibn al-Haytham including scenes from the Ibn Al-Haytham film and the Ibn Al-Haytham character development process.
A tribute to 11th century pioneering scientific thinker Ibn al-Haytham, the Ibn Al-Haytham Exhibition is part of a global educational campaign launched by 1001 Inventions in partnership with UNESCO in 2015 that has engaged more than 30 million people around the world.
1001 Inventions led tribute events for Ibn Al-Haytham at the United Nations in New York, at UNESCO in Paris, the Royal Society in London with Prince Andrew Duke of York and in more than 10 other cities around the world.
The Ibn Al-Haytham Exhibition welcomes visitors at The Jordan Museum from 8 March to 8 April 2017.
Exhibition Opening Hours
The Ibn Al-Haytham Exhibition will be open to the public daily – except for Tuesdays – from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and Fridays from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm.
About The Jordan Year of Science 2017
2017 will mark a major advance in Jordan’s position as a facilitator for dialogue and a promoter of real, equal & durable progress in the middle east. Jordan’s Year of Science (JYS) 2017 will place science, technology and innovation at the heart of the debate on our future growth and will reaffirm our pivotal role in the middle east’s durable development.
The event and coverage surrounding the JYS calendar of Events will draw in scientists, engineers, researchers and policymakers from around the world, and will engage our public in debates and discussions to highlight the challenges we face and the enormous capacity we have to tackle them with intelligence, creativity and drive.
JYS 2017 will feature a calendar of events, discussion and debate, headlined by a key, globally anticipated summit- World Science Forum 2017 – in November. The launch of SESAME in April 2017 will also mark a major internationally significant scientific event, which will draw in global coverage from the scientific and mainstream media.
These two lynchpin events provide Jordan with an unparalleled opportunity to set in motion a “Movement for Science “that will place our scientists and our people at the heart of the debate on the future of “good science “in our region. it marks a recognition of our historic journey from Nahda to Tanweer . it is a celebration of our creative heritage and our innovative future.
About the Jordan Museum
The Jordan Museum is a national institution that aims at the preservation and presentation of Jordan's rich cultural heritage.
It is presided over by a Board of Trustees headed by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, and supervised by Her Royal Highness Princess Sumaya bint El-Hassan, the Deputy of Her Majesty, with a vision “to position the Museum as a leading institution in the region for the preservation, conservation, interpretation and exposure of the cultural heritage of Jordan.
The Museum is operating on several tracks to fulfill its vision, as illustrated in its mission statement, as follows:-
To enable the Jordanian people to understand, respect, and preserve their national identity by creating awareness of the importance of their national patrimony and assist them in caring for it.
To study, through artifacts, the processes and impact of human interaction with the environment through the ages.
- To collect and preserve the material culture which documents the history of Jordan.
- To become a model for all museums in Jordan and the region, a leader in the protection, preservation and interpretation of cultural heritage.
- To present to the visitors Jordan’s contribution to the world.
- To enhance the touristic experience of Jordan.
The Museum is located at the heart of Jordan's capital and since its opening to the public on the beginning 2013; it became a major addition to Amman’s downtown cultural hub, which includes the Municipality Complex, Al-Hussein Cultural Centre and Galleria Ras al-Ayn. The 10,000 square meter building was designed by Jordanian architect Jafaar Tukan.
About 1001 Inventions
1001 Inventions is an award-winning, British based organisation that creates international educational campaigns and engaging transmedia productions aiming to raise awareness of the contrbutions to science, technology and culture from the Golden Age of Muslim Civilisation.
1001 Inventions has engaged with over 300 million people across the globe working with a network of international partners, including UNESCO, National Geographic and leading academics to produce interactive exhibits, short films, live shows, books and classroom learning materials that are being used by hunderds of thousands of educators around the world.
The Ibn Al-Haytham: Man Who Discovered How We See is a campaign launched by 1001 Inventions in 2015.
www.1001inventions.com
About Ibn Al-Haytham
www.ibnalhaytham.com